


Final Rose

by Raziel12



Category: Final Fantasy XIII, Final Fantasy XIII Series, Frozen (2013), RWBY
Genre: F/F, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-26
Updated: 2016-04-26
Packaged: 2018-06-04 15:32:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,503
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6664294
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Raziel12/pseuds/Raziel12
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A massive crossover combining RWBY, Final Fantasy XIII, Frozen, and several other series. The story itself is set in a world based on RWBY. </p><p>What if Lightning Farron and Summer Rose had been friends, even lovers, prior to Summer being with Taiyang? Furthermore, how would things be different in a world where the Grimm are an even graver threat, and Ruby and the others find themselves at a Beacon Academy where Lightning, Fang, and Vanille (amongst others) are professors? Get ready. It's going to be a bumpy ride.</p><p>This crossover basically combines all of the different series I've written over the years (e.g., it includes elements not only of RWBY, FF XIII, and others but also elements of Ordinary Heroes, my fanfic for FF XIII). This story has previously only been available on my Tumblr, but I've made it available here, so people don't have to scroll through dozens of posts. </p><p>Chapters are not posted in chronological order (i.e., some chapters are set in the past while others are set in the future).</p>
            </blockquote>





	Final Rose

**Broken**

Lightning fought the urge to turn away from the man in front of her. It hurt to see Taiyang like this. She’d known that losing Summer would be hard on him. She’d known that he would mourn. But she had never thought that he would just shut down the way he had. Not even Qrow had been able to get through to him.

The fact that Ruby and Yang had almost died only a few days ago had not helped. If Qrow hadn’t been there to fight off those Grimm… Lightning shook her head. No. There was no point in dwelling on possibilities. Qrow had gotten there in time. Ruby and Yang were safe.

Taiyang was blaming himself for that too. Oh, it was his fault. He’d fallen apart so much that he hadn’t even noticed the two were gone, but the girls didn’t need his regret or his grief. They needed his love. Her jaw clenched. She wasn’t happy about what she was going to do, but they were out of options.

They’d all tried to get through to him, all of them except Lightning. 

“Qrow,” Lightning said quietly. “Take the girls outside.” 

Ruby and Yang exchanged looks. They were nothing more than children, but they could already sense the subtle shift in Lightning’s Aura. This was not going to be a pleasant chat between old friends. 

“Are you sure?” Qrow asked. If this went wrong, the friendship Lightning and Taiyang had would be over. 

“Someone has to do it, and the girls will need you if this doesn’t work.” Lightning nodded at the door. “Ruby, Yang, go play outside. You can show Diana and Averia around.”

Lightning waited until Qrow and the girls were outside before she shut the door behind them and turned back to Taiyang.

“Get up,” she growled. “Damn it, Taiyang, get up.”

The man with the dead eyes stared back at her. She felt a surge of grief. Summer had been one of her best friends, and Taiyang still was. But she could barely recognise the man in front of her. Damn it. They should never have waited this long. They should have done something sooner. But Taiyang, that idiot, had said he was fine, and like idiots they’d believed him, even when it was obvious that he was anything but fine.

All the times she’d called, and Ruby or Yang had answered the phone.

All the times she’d dropped by only for Ruby or Yang to tell her that their father wasn’t feeling well. 

All the times she’d noticed that Taiyang looked too pale, too thin, too tired.

Of course, the girls would protect him, would lie for him and make excuses. They loved him. But they were children. Lightning was an adult. She should have seen right through them. And with Qrow still busy with missions… 

She shook her head. No dwelling on the past.

“What’s the point?” Taiyang muttered. “What’s the point, Lightning?”

“Your children need you.”

“Do they?” Taiyang’s voice was filled with so much self-loathing that Lightning could barely stand it. “What kind of father am I? I’m not stupid. I know I’ve fallen apart. I know it’s my fault they wandered off. If Qrow hadn’t found them, if he hadn’t saved them…” He turned away. “They’d be better off without me, Lightning. We both know that.”

That was too much.

Lightning closed the gap between and grabbed him by the scruff of his shirt. She hissed. She could smell the alcohol on his breath. “You’ve been drinking,” she spat.

“It makes it better,” he whispered softly, looking away. “It’s easier to forget -”

Lightning’s punch knocked him flat onto his back. She loomed over him, blue eyes burning into his. “Get up.”

“Lightning…”

“GET UP!”

Taiyang staggered to his feet. He eyed her warily. He knew exactly how dangerous Lightning was, and he knew he was in no condition whatsoever to defend himself. 

“Listen closely, Taiyang, because I’m only going to say this once. Those kids of yours, Ruby and Yang, they need you, and they need you to pull yourself together, damn it!” Lightning’s breathing came in harsh, angry gasps. Her whole body was so tense she could barely stop herself from shaking. “I know it hurts. Believe me, I do…”

“What do you know?” Taiyang roared, the suddenness of his shout catching them both by surprise. “I loved her. She was my wife!”

“And she was my friend, one of my best friends,” Lightning said. “I loved her too. But, damn it, you can’t just shut down like you have. You’re a father, Taiyang, they need you. They need you to be the man you were, the man Summer fell in love with, the man I know you can be again.”

“I…”

“Do you love them?” Lightning asked. “Because if you love Ruby and Yang, then you need to fight. It won’t be easy. It’s probably going to be the hardest fight you’ve ever faced, but you’re their father. If anyone is going to fight for them, for the family you, Ruby, and Yang still are, then it’s going to have to be you. Do you think Summer would want you to do this to yourself - to them?”

“How can you just ask me to forget?” Taiyang hissed. “How can you just ask me to go on like nothing has happened? What would you even know about losing someone?”

“More than you think. Or have you forgotten my parents?” Lightning met his gaze evenly, and she had to fight the urge to wrap her arms around him when he shrank under her gaze. Oh, he remembered her parents now, he remembered how she’d lost them both and had to all but raise Serah and Lumina on her own. She knew about loss. “But I’m not asking you to forget or to go on like nothing has happened. I would never ask you to do that because it’s impossible to forget or to go on like everything is the same. What I’m asking you is to move forward, to take one step after another, one day at a time, because it’s the only way you can keep living. I know Summer is gone, but there are still so many people here who love you and need you. There’s Ruby and Yang, for starters, and you’ve got so many friend who only want to help you. Let us help you.”

Taiyang’s fists clenched, and Lightning thought for a moment that he was about to lash out. But when he lunged forward, it wasn’t to attack her. Instead, he buried his face in her shoulder and wept in a way he’d never done before, not even at Summer’s funeral, not even when he’d heard the news. She wasn’t sure how long, she held him, but when he finally pulled away, he seemed calmer.

“I think…” Taiyang took a deep, shuddering breath. “I think I needed that.”

“Are you okay?” Lightning asked, quietly.

“No,” he said. A shaky smile crossed his lips. “But I think I will be. Do you think you could…”

“I could stay for a while,” Lightning said. “Let me make a few calls.” She paused. “Summer always did say you were an idiot who needed looking after.”

“Yes, yes, she did.”

X X X

Lightning and the girls ended up staying with Taiyang, Ruby, and Yang for the better part of six months. It wasn’t easy. Taiyang had good days and bad days, but little by little, he pulled himself back together. 

On the day that Lightning and the girls were going to leave, Taiyang, Ruby, and Yang went with them to the transport.

“Thanks,” Taiyang whispered as he gave Lightning one last hug. “Thanks for being there.”

“It’s fine,” Lightning replied. “I know you’d do the same for me if anything ever happened to Fang.” She paused. “Take care, Taiyang. Let me know if you need anything.” 

“I’ll be fine, I think.” He glanced over to where Ruby and Yang were hugging Diana and Averia goodbye. “I’ve got the girls. Somehow… I think it’ll be okay.” His lips twitched. “But I think I’ll be steering clear of Fang for a while. I doubt she’s too happy about me stealing you and the girls for six months.”

Lightning shrugged. “She was there for about three of those months, you know. And she understands.” She smiled faintly. “I think the only thing she’s annoyed about is the situation in Arendelle. She’s not at all happy about how Elsa is being treated.”

“Elsa? Princess Elsa?” Taiyang’s brows furrowed. “What’s happening with her?”

“It’s nothing you need to worry about,” Lightning said. “Fang can handle it.” She nodded. “Take care, Taiyang. I having a feeling I’ll be taking a position at Beacon one of these days. I hope to see Ruby and Yang there one day.”

“Oh, I don’t think you have to worry about that.” Taiyang laughed as the girls moved on from hugging to exchanging mock blows. “They’ll get there.”


End file.
